Baby walker and jumper



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIOE.

E. Y. ROBBINS, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO.

BABY WALKER AND JUMPER.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 16,150, dated December 2, 1856.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, E. Y. ROBBINS, of Cincinnati, in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio, have invented a new and improved apparatusto enable a child to stand and walk and to amuse him and protect him from injury against furniture and also to give his arms and chest an invigorating and healthful exercise; and I do hereby declare that the following is such a full and exact description thereof, reference being made by the letters to the accompanying drawings, as will enable others skilled in the art with which it is most nearly connected to make and use my invention.

Four pieces of strong wood for the legs or posts K, Figures I and II of sufficient length and of about an inch more or less in diameter, (having been steamed or otherwise prepared) are bent outward at the bottom to give a breadth of base suflicient to prevent danger of overturning; ascending they gradually approach each other till nearly as high as the childs waist; whence they ascend nearly perpendicularly, to about the height of his head, from which point they are again bent inward till the four pieces meet and are firmly attached together at the top P above the childs head; or the four legs may be made of two pieces of double length crossed in the middle and each end bent downward till it assumes the shape above described. Upon the bottom of the legs are placed casters H Fig. I to enable the child to' push himself about the room. A few inches above the floor is a hoop G, F ig. I attached to the legs, which is covered with velvet, plush or other soft material to prevent injury to furniture against which it may strike. This may also be wrapped with tinsel or otherwise ornamented. Upon the outside of the legs may also be fastened velvet rubber or other soft covering. At the .height of the childs waist is placed another hoop B Fig. I over which is stretched canvas or other strong stuff; and over this there may be a second covering of liner texture. This covering of canvas, &c., A Fig. I is stretched entirely across this hoop except a circular opening in the middle a little larger than the childs waist, in which for him to stand, and a slit extending from this opening to the hoop behind the childs back allowing the covering to be drawn aside either way the more easily to admit the child. This circular opening is bounded by a. belt B Figs. I and II, to which is attached a buckle O Figs. I and II, to fasten it about the childs waist; or the opening may be made sufliciently large easily to admit the child and the slit and buckle omitted. A skirt F, similar to the skirt of a childs dress is suspended from near the edge of the opening. ithin this skirt and concealed by it and suspended from the belt is a seat made of canvas, drilling, or other soft material. This seat may be attached to the belt by buckles K Fig. IV or similar fastenings by which it can be elevated or depressed at pleasure and thus be made to support more of less of the childs weight so that he shall bear as much or as little upon his legs as the parent may think proper or the childs age justify. To the upper part of the frame around and above` the childs head are attached several elastic or other cords M, N, Fig. I and various ornaments and playt-hings are suspended therefrom as tassels, rattles, rings, bells, &c., L, O, R, &c., in reaching after and playing with which the child will be induced to pull upon the elastic cords and thus exercise his arms and chest. The lower hoop is made larger than the upper to protect the childs fingers from being crushed between the upper hoop and any article of furniture against which -he may push himself. To give greater lightness the posts are dressed to a much smaller size above the upper hoop than they are below it and the whole should bemade as light as is consistent with suiiicient strength. Finally upon the top is fastened a knob P, or other handle by which to lift and carry the whole.

Another form of eternal arrangement.- The internal arrangement of the apparatus may be varied as follows: The hoop over which is stretched the covering of canvas, &c., instead of being ixed to the posts, as in the first form B Fig. I may be made just large enough to play freely up and down, and revolve, between or inside of the posts as represented at B. Fig. II, being suspended from the upper part of the frame by cords W, Fig, II, attached to a spring S', Fig. II, and swivel S',

Fig. II, enabling the child to turn him-v self about in any directio-n without turning the frame of the apparatus itself, and the legs may be kept steady and in place by another hoop A, Fig. II, fastened to them immediately below the covered hoop B.

This hoop A may be Wrapped in a manner similar to the bottom one G, Fig. I. In this form the covered hoop B, Fig. II, in which the child stands, may have a rim Z, Fig. II, extending around on the upper side of it a little smaller in circumference than the hoop itself, for his hands to rest upon to prevent his lingers from being injured between the hoop and the posts. This rim may be made by connecting a large Wire or light Wooden hoop With the main hoop, B,

- Fig. II, by canvas or some fabric similar to that with which the main hoop is covered. The cords by which this hoop is suspended may be kept apart by, or attached to, crossed pieces T, T, Fig. II. or some equivalent de.

vice, and instead of /the elevation or depression of the seat being effected by buckles placed at its attachment to the belt the same result may be produced by a single buckle Z,

self around in anyy direction within the apparatus at the same time that he pushes himself freely about the room but he Will be enabled and induced to give himself aI perpendicular or springing motion, not merely by the exertion of his feet and legs but, What is far more important, by the exertion of his arms in reaching after and pulling at his playthings and in pulling upon the cords by Which he may raise himself up. Thus the child. by his very sports and amusements will be .tempted into the most beneficial and healthful exercise of the arms and chest. As a further inducement and assistance to this tWo ivory or other w rings R, R, Fig. II, may be suspended from above for him to pull upon.

The spring may be used Without the swivel or the swivel Without the spring. In using the swivel Without the spring the internal arrangement last described and represented in Fig. II may be varied thus. Let the springs S, be omitted, as shovvn in Fig. III, and let the lower end of the suspending cords 1W instead of being fastened to the movable covered hoop B, Z, Fig. II, be attached to a seat E, Fig. III, and this seat suspended so as to revolve Within the opening of a fixed covered hoop as represented at A, B, Fig. I, no seat being attached by buckles or otherwise to the belt or covering of this hoop as represented in the other forms.

If it should be found necessary an additional .hoop or more than one may be attached at any degree of elevation at which it may be deemed necessary. Variations in the arrangement of playthings, ornaments, cords, size and height of frame, curvature of legs, decorations, and other minor changes7 may be made at pleasure.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The arrangement of the upward extension of the broad-based caster-supported frame of the apparatus around and over the head of the child placed therein for the purpose of preventing his head from coming in contact with articles of furniture as he moves himself over the floor, and forming a support for the jumper, (or child-sustaining canvas-covered hoop,) and also serving the purpose of suspending toys above the head of the child and Within his reach to amuse him and at the same time cause him to judiciously exercise his arms and chest, substantially as set forth.

E. Y. ROBBINS.

Witnesses E. I-IARWooD, J. A. HARWooD. 

